SoS: May 14th, 2012 - May 20th, 2012

Last day of the cold water shaving. I hope...
Merkur 23C/Astra
Vie-Long horsehair brush
Ceramic bowl
Wilkinson Sword soap in blue bowl
Mayor Energy Platinum AS splash

The Product Annihilation Project was a good idea. I have narrowed my rotation noticeably, and have to say, improved my skills with each of the products left. Besides, I have very limited time for shaving, so now I'm 2 passes shaver. With bowl lathering it is a really interesting combo , but I cannot get any stable results with face-lathering and cold water only yet. The good part is that I'll change almost all my rotation soon!

 

Jeff, it is ok, because the water is so cold and the cream is dried. So I just bowl lather it with the warm water from the kettle without any problems! Gada is a great cream, I really love it! Thank you very much for such a nice gift!

 

Ah ok, my friend!

 

Thursday
Brush: Vie-Long Horse
Soap/Creme: Proraso White (New Formula)
Razor: Merkur Futur
Blade: Astra SS
Pre: Proraso white pre/post
Post: Lilac Vegetal
Hair Groom: Gables Cream-oil
Result: A very gentle CCS, barely felt any sting at all with the veg. Just the shave I was aiming for.

 

Thursday May 17, 2012

Prep: Hot Shower, Gentleman's Refinery pre-shave oil
Razor: Gillette Flare Tip superspeed
Blade: Big Ben SS
Soap/Cream: TSD coconut lime verbena
Brush: Vie-Long 13052m Horse Hair
AS: Nivea replinishing balm

Results: DFS

Hope everyone is having a great day.

 

Big fan of the Ogalla Bay Rum and Lemongrass soap!

 

That sounds very fitting.

 

Thursday
Gillette Slim Adjustable + Feather
Semogue 1520
Proraso Aloe & Green Tea
Cold Water Rinse
Brut

 

Gem 1912
Ted Pella Blade
Rooney Brush with Omega Knot
Provence Sante Green Tea Soap
Master's Lilac Vegetol Splash
Baxter of California Mentholated AS Balm
Tunes-Old Crow Medicine Show

 

Well said, Shawna. And I think it is safe to say that you are not alone with such sentiments here ... I for one certainly feel the same.

 

Prep L'Occitane Verbena Soap​

Razor Thiers Issard Dreadnought 7/8​

Brush Simpson Chubby 1 in Super​

Vito's Coconut & Almond​

Alum & Witch Hazel​

L'Occitane Baux Balm​

Botanics Moisturiser​

L'Occitane Cedre L'Atlas Eau De Parfum​

​

Jamie.​

​

Well gave the TI her first shave, after twenty laps on the linen and 50 0n the leather, and two days growth was put to the sword, great shaver as i expected to be honest.​

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Friday, May 14

EJ DE86
7 O’Clock (Blue Ninja) (d1)
Tabac SS
Vulfix 2235 Super
Osage Rub
Herbissimo Mountain Juniper Cologne
Result: BBS with a great finish. TGIF.

 

Friday:

Omega Wooden Handle
Super Speed/Rapira day 2
Bozzano Sensitive SC
Svoboda AS Balsam
Obsession for Men EDT

Smooth as silk and very cool and comfortable after a great shave with this really nice Brazilian cream. The Svoboda balsam does amazing things for sensitive skin with its menthol and allantoin content. The Rapira blades definitely seem to work the best for me.

 

Soak Brush/Savile Row 3824/heat up Schwarzweisskeramik XL Scuttle
Hot Shower
Proraso PrePost cream
RazoRock Cacao SS
Fatip Grande Nickel Plated/Astra SP (1)
Cold Water Rinse
Monster Block Alum(Clean hardware and software,police area)
Cold Water Rinse
Thayer's Medicated Super Hazel
Myrsol Formula K followed 20 minutes later with TSD ISZ Aftershave Milk

Great 2 pass face 1 pass headshave.I now have 3 Fatip's,the Piccolo, Grande Chrome plated and Grande Nickel plated.I have to say the nickel plated Fatips have no flaws at all,the Piccolo is also nickel plated.All three models shave great but the chrome Grande seems to have some flaws in it's plating.It doesn't affect the shave so it's not really a deal breaker for me.But it's something to consider if you are planning on getting a Grande.

 

May 16th
Wash: Nivea Face Wash
Prep Lather: Nuka SC
Razor: Merkur 38M
Blade: Rapira Super Stainless (1)
Brush: Vulfix 660S Super Badger
Soap/Cream: T&H Sandalwood SC
Post: 5Savages AS (witch hazel, rum, Tabac cologne)
AS: T&H Sandalwood ASB
BBS!


May 17th
Wash: Nivea Face Wash
Prep Lather: Nuka SC
Razor: Merkur 38M
Blade: Rapira Super Stainless (2)
Brush: Vulfix 660S Super Badger
Soap/Cream: GFT Sandalwood SC
Post: 5Savages AS (witch hazel, rum, Tabac cologne)
AS: T&H Sandalwood ASB
BBS-

I continue to find little difference between T&H and the GFT creams. The GFT creams do have a stronger scent though. The Rapira Super Stainless continues to provide great shaves. It will probably rank near the top for me.

I finally tried my AOS travel brush last night for the prep-lather. A little scritchy...and little...it worked fine, though it smelled like badger butt. When I get my 18mm butterscotch handle restored I won't have much use for it though, except maybe when camping. I left it soaking in Bigelow lather over night to try to get the stink out.

The Nuka SC is a solid performer, but the scent is pretty neutral. I'll probably use it mainly as a prep-lather since the scent won't interfere with the shave lather.

 

Friday, May 18, 2012

Prep: Hot shower
Lather: P.160 - face lather
Brush: Muhle Black Fibre
Razor: Valet Auto Strop VC1
Blade: Gem PTFE (5); 3 passes
Post: Cold water rinse; Krampert's Finest Bay Rum (reform)

Thanks to a sample of P.160 from Brian SD, I'm testing out a lathering technique while comparing two very different soaps. This was my first ever use of P.160 & I'll say it does live up to the hype. Best scent by far of all the almond Italian soft soaps. Superb skin conditioning properties and what a dense, creamy, & slick lather it produced. The almond scents are not my favorites (thus why I got so many of the new RR croaps), but if almond was my thing I would be stockpiling the P.160 like Johnny does with Floid Blue!

 

Friday Morning Shaving Ritual, May 18, 2012

Razor: 69 Slimline Gillette Adjustable (set on 5 / 6)
Blade: Derby (new blade)
Brush: Semogue 830 (First use not too shabby)
Cream: Williams Shaving Soap
A/S: Alum Bar & Cold Water Rinse
A/S: Pinaud Clubman

Shave was okay it is day 5 with the Derby blade, and no nicks or weepers anywhere. First shave with a fair amount of razor burn, I’m not sure if the blade is getting dull, if 6 is too high on the Gillette, or the Williams soap does not agree with my face.

 

• Prep: hot shower
• Music: Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life
• Brush: Omega 11047 badger/boar
• Soap/Cream: Irisch Moos
• Razor: '61 Aristocrat @ 2
• Blade: Astra SP
• Post: Pinaud Clubman Musk / L'oreal ASB
• Results: unexceptional with 2 nicks on neck/ jaw

As advised by Bird Lives I have been using the low end of the adjustables and it really makes one concentrate on technique. It has shown me that on my neck/jaw I don't always maintain the right angle. It also helps with my patience although this morning I got frustrated and used pressure and as a reward I got to bleed a little .

 

My guess would be the blade but only a reduction of the variables will say for sure. Personally I would go with a fresh blade tomorrow and leave the rest the same and see what happens. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

 

Friday morning, May 18, 2012

Schick E2 Injector Razor w/ Schick blade (5)
Semogue 1305 boar bristle brush,
TABAC shaving soap w/ hot water lather,
finish with cold water rinse for a DFS!